Hi, Have you de-wormed him? Some bowel worms can cause an irritation round the anus which causes a horse to rub his backside against something and pull out the tail hair. Walterby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Janet, Sounds like your younger cat has decided to usurp the elder's dominance, and is being successful. This is a natural progression - it happens in all societies, including human ones! It is important, for the sake of both, that you do not interfere - do not try to re-stablish the senior as 'boss cat', but reinforce the younger's new status - feed it first, speak to itby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Ken, It sounds as though a different antibiotic was given each time - have you checked that out? Some yeras ago a particular brand of an oxytetracycline injection was producing exactly the signs which you describe, and it turned out that it was not the antibiotic itself which was causing the problem, but one of the preservatives in the solution was breaking down during storage, and one of theby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Lisa, Sorry to hear about your ESS kidney problem - is there any evidence that she took poison rather than had a kidney infection? Your vet should be able to tell you from blood tests - particularly Serum Creatinine - what are the prospects of her recovering some kidney function. Kidney transplant is NOT a viable option in dogs, nor is regular dialysis, I am afraid. In the meantime a speciallby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Peter, Sounds like your lab may have a high fracture in her tail. It may or may not resolve spontaneously, but I think it would be better if you got yor vet. to have a look at it for you. Walterby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Phillip, Sorry to hear about your problems with your rabbits. I think that the most likely cause is damage to the spine, often resulting from picking the rabbit up by the ears and not supporting the back end - the rabbot kicks, and its muscular effort may 'jack-knife' the spine, and damage the vertebral column and spinal cprd. Make sure that anyone lifting your rabbits knows how toby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Chet, Sorry to hear about your Chihuahua's eye problems. I cannot say whether or not cataract surgery would help - it would depend on the type of cataract. If the rest of the eye - ie the retina is OK, removal of the affected lens would produce a return of vision, but if the cataracts are a result of a retinal abnormality, it would not. I am assuming that you do not live in the UK, so Iby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Lou, Sorry to hear about the difficulty you are having when taking your young labrador out. Assuming that it has been checked by your vet for calcium deficiency and other things that can make a dog reluctant to exercise, you have a behavioural problem which has probably resulted from some unpleasant experience when out some time previously. I have passed on your query to an animal behaviourby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Bjorn, I am sorry, but your problem is outside my field! I will pass your query on to a collegue to try and get the information which you require. Walterby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Claire, Sorry to have been so long answering. Female dogs do not have a menstrual cycle. Most mammals other than Primates have an OESTRUS cycle, in which they are fertile and will accept the pale when they are ' in season'. In the bitch this occurs at about six-monthly intervals, and shows as a swelling around her vulva, and a bloody discharge. The time of maximuum fertlity is betwqby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Ali, Sorry to have been so long in replying to you- I have been having problems accessing the server, but its OK now, I hope! I suggest that whatever advice you may be offered about feeding chicken wings, raw meat and so on to your Golden Retriever puppy, you ignore it, and go a for a reputable commercial puppy food. The best of these are compounded after a great deal of research into a growiby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Julia, Many cats as they get older do lose teeth - a heavy deposit of tartar builds up, and looosens the tooth, which eventually falls out. When the teeth get into that state, the cat is usually better off without them. You do not say if he is on insulin injections for his diabetes, nor how old he is. I found it to be difficult to stablise diabetes in cats, even with insulin injections - theyby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Well done! All the UK veterinary schools are equally good. You are very fortunate to have a choice and I am sure that you will do very well at Liverpool. I was at Glasgow myself, more years ago than I care to remember!. If you are able to stay in a Hall of Residence rather than at home or in 'digs', do so. Only by interacting with students from other faculties do you really experience Uby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Mif, Your dog's loss of hair on his spine could arise from a number of causes. A flea infestation must be considered, despite regular treatment. It is unlikely to be mange - either sarcopttic or demodectic. Trauma is certainly possible. A variety of hormonal disfunctions also have to enter into the differential diagnosis - thyroid and adrenal. Precise diagnosis of skin problems can be vby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Don, The signs you describe do not sound to me like hip dysplasia. I think that your alternative suggestion of some internal affliction is more likely to be correct - an acutly inflamed prostate gland or anal gland, for example. HD is really a form of arthritis, and like other forms of arthritis is most painful following rest after exercise, as well as a chronic stiffness in the hips. If a rby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Mike, It sounds as if you have a respiratory infection in your aviary which was brought in by your recent acquisition. New birds should always be 'quarantined' for a couple of weeks in isolation. Precise diagnosis and suggestions for treatment is not possible for me to do over the 'net, but the possibilty of a virus infection which is transmissible to humans, and can caouse a serioby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Debbie, Removal of an obstructiion from the bowel almost always to some extent reduces the diameter of the bowel where it was cut to remove the foreign body, and may well be the site of subsequent obstruction. Every time such an operation - 'enterotomy' - is performed, the chances of re-obstruction increase. If the FBs were removed from the stomach itself, this is less of a problem.by Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Brady, My own thouhts on castrating male dogs is that it seems to have little effect of growth and conformation if it is done at 12 months old or more. Castrated males do tend to run to fat, so extra care not to overfeed in later life is essential. Not all veterinarians will agree with me - some think that early castration at 4 to 6 months is OK. Walterby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Bertie, Take him straight to your veterinary surgery - NOW- if you have not already done so. Walterby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Denise, Your Sheltie pup appears to have a condition known as 'Nystagmus', where the eyes flicker to one side, then return slowly to the resting position. It is rare in young dogs, but is seen in older ones after an episode of 'vestibular syndrome' when the part of the brain which controls balance is affected by a disease process. Most older dogs show an improvement afterby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Pat, It is very unlikely that removal of the cataracts would help your dog to see any better. In elderly dogs, cataracts are usually the result of other changes in the eye which are untreatable. As they get older dogs which lose their sight seem to carry a map of their surroundings in their head, and make use of other senses too to help them get around. However, the fact that she is deaf alsoby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Karen, If the complaint is not upheld by the Royal College, the Professional Conduct Department gives the reasons why not. The veterinary surgeon's response may or may not be copied to the complainant. Many complaints are not pursued if they do not fall within the Royal College's authority - for example, some clients wish their pets to be treated on a 'now cure, no fee basisby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Karina, If a member of the public feels that they have a grievance against a veterinary surgeon, the correct procedure is for them to send to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons a letter o complaint, containing full details of the grounds for the complaint. It is first looked at by the Head of Professional Conduct - a barrister, not a vet - who decides whether or not it falls within theby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Hi, Mal, Chronic skin problems in dogs can be very difficult. After 5 months fruitless treatment you could very reasonably ask your veterinary surgeon to refer you to a specialist veterinary dermatologist. If you are in the UK, all the University veterinary schools could help, or the Animal Health Trust at Newmarket. There are also several consultant dermatologists which your vet will know aboutby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
This query was dealt with above, under the heading 'Veteril' WBby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
'Splitting' a dose of vaccine,to vaccinate two or more dogs out of one battle, is, to the best of my knowledge, unacceptable, and would almost certainly be regarded by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as a serious disciplinary offence. This has been known to happen, and there is a precedent for the RCVS to act against the vet concerned. A dog developing parvo after vaccination dby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
Your veterinary surgeon is best able to prescribe the most appropriate medicine for your dog. Lysodren is a potent medication, and if a less aggressive medication works as well, or better, it would be preferable. Take your veterinary surgeon's advice about the dosageof Veteril - I cannot comment on thay without knowing the full clinical picture. In this case, the issue is complicated by coby Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
I agree with Peblo Adito. Animals, too, are entitled to a quality of life. When we prolong a pet's life unduly, we should ask ourselves why we are doing it - is it for the benefit of the animal, or is it self-indulgence?by Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
If your dog has been badly bitten, with an extensive laceration, he needs to be seen by a veterinarian for the wound to be stitched, and antibiotics prescribed. This is fairly urgent, since if an active infection occurs it could be very difficult to get under control.by Walter Beswick - Ask The Vet
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